2014 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

Texans Notes: Draft, Manziel, Analytics

May 8th, 2014 at 9:02am CST by Matt Feminis

Draft day is finally here and the Texans control the first overall selection tonight. Not surprisingly, they’re seeking a king’s ransom in trade for the first overall pick: a swap of first-rounders, a second and third this year and a 2015 first-rounder, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).

In other Texans news, notes and rumors:

Aside from the uncertainty about if/how Johnny Manziel’s game will translate to the NFL and if his celebrity will get the best of him, there’s another aspect of his draft prospect that adds to the intrigue: public relations. As evidenced by CBS’ Gregg Doyel’s column and the opinion of Wade Phillips in USA Today, the pressure cooker that is Texas football will be unforgiving if Manziel becomes a superstar somewhere besides Houston.
McClain believes the Texans will attempt to parlay the first pick of the second round into multiple picks (via Twitter).
If the Texans plan is to trade down and target Blake Bortles, the Central Florida QB doesn’t know about it, writes McClain.
Given head coach Bill O’Brien’s past with the Patriots, known for their use of technology and analytics, the Texans are expected to incorporate similar strategies, writes Stephanie Stradley in the Houston Chronicle.

Extra Points: Sherman, Sam, Chargers

May 7th, 2014 at 9:55pm CST by Zachary Links

With Richard Sherman‘s new deal, the Seahawks now have the NFL’s most expensive secondary with $85MM guaranteed to three players, notes Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Earlier today, Seattle locked down Sherman with a four-year, $56MM extension that will keep him in place through 2018. Here’s tonight’s roundup from around the NFL as we get set for the draft…

Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Chronicle looks at Michael Sam as a potential target for the 49ers. The 49ers could have a great marketing opportunity on their hands if they tap Sam since San Francisco is a historically gay-friendly city. More importantly, they could use a pass rusher in light of Aldon Smith‘s troubles.
Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com runs down running back possibilities for the Chargers in the draft. On the surface, San Diego is good to go with Ryan Mathews, Danny Woodhead, and free agent pickup Donald Brown. However, Mathews and Woodhead will be free agents after the 2014 season, so the Chargers could conceivably look into an RB as insurance.
We heard earlier today that Cleveland GM Ray Farmer is “enamored with” Teddy Bridgewater, but he’s not the only quarterback the Browns will be eyeing if they pass on a signal-caller with the No. 4 pick. According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter), the club also likes Tom Savage and Jimmy Garoppolo.
The Browns have a big opportunity this weekend with seven picks in the top 127 and they can get it right this time, writes Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer. Pluto also feels that owner Jimmy Haslam will hold true to his word and not interfere with the decision process.
Scott Horner of the Indianapolis Star goes into the vaults to find out how well the Colts have drafted in the second round over the years.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

AFC East Notes: Bills, Goodell, Patriots

May 7th, 2014 at 8:32pm CST by Zachary Links

Commissioner Roger Goodell is confident that the Bills will continue to be successful in Western New York but says they need a new stadium, writes Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News. “We said at the time when they entered into their new lease, that this is really a short-term solution. We need to find the right long-term solution that is good for the community and can help the Bills continue to be successful in Western New York, and I’m confident we’ll get there,” he said. More from the AFC East..

The Bills have been rumored to be talking about moving up for weeks, but it’ll come at a serious cost if they do, writes Mark Gaughan of The Buffalo News. It’s hard to see Buffalo moving up from No. 9 into the top three without giving up their top pick in 2015. The Dolphins moved from No. 12 to No. 3 in a deal with the Raiders last year and only threw in the No. 42, but the top of this year’s draft is stronger than last year’s.
Unlike last year, when the Patriots‘ focus was on wide receivers, it’s very hard to tell what their target will be this time around, writes Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. One major dynamic to watch, however, will be to see if top quarterbacks slide down the board. The Pats are obviously set at QB but a quarterback-needly club could wind up overpaying for their No. 29 selection. If they want to groom someone to take over Tom Brady‘s job eventually, they could tap Pittsburgh’s Tom Savage later on.
Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com explains why the Patriots may trade out of the first round tomorrow night.

Draft Rumors: Mosley, Texans, Evans, Watkins

May 7th, 2014 at 8:22pm CST by Zachary Links

If you want to move up to the No. 1 overall pick, it’s going to cost you big time. When a team with a Top 10 pick contacted the Texans to ask what it would cost them to move up, FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer (video link) says Houston responded that they wanted the Robert Griffin III package. Two years ago, the Redskins gave up three first-round picks and a second-round pick to get their franchise quarterback. Of course, a team in the top five won’t have to give up as much as a team towards the back end of the top ten, so that’s not a flat asking price for everyone. The latest draft news from around the NFL..

Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley told Bob Glauber of Newsday that he thinks he’ll go somewhere in the top half of the first round and maybe even be one of the first ten players off the board on Thursday night. “I heard top 10, I talked to my agent, I heard eight through 17,” Mosley said. “But at the end of the day, you never know. Teams trade up, they pretty much know who they’re going to pick, but they’re just looking to try to get the upper hand on other teams. I’m just going to go in with my family and my friends, just have fun and be happy wherever I get drafted.”
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter) wouldn’t be surprised to see Texas A&M wide receiver Mike Evans go in the top five. The expectation is that if Sammy Watkins out of Clemson goes before him, Evans doesn’t last much longer.
Johnny Manziel is still the guy generating most conversation among execs, tweets Albert Breer of NFL Network (on Twitter). The perception around the NFL is the Buccaneers, Rams, and Vikings could all be in play for the polarizing Texas A&M star.
Don Banks of Sports Illustrated hears that Manziel’s family doesn’t want him to go to the Texans for fear that he won’t be able to distance himself from his “Johnny Football” persona. On top of that, he hears Manziel himself doesn’t want to play for the Jaguars.
Manziel’s agent Erik Burkhardt told Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk that any talk of the QB not wanting to play for the Jaguars is untrue.
Concordia defensive end Zach Moore tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link) that he had private workouts with the Patriots, Dolphins, Panthers, and Falcons. We had previously heard that Moore visited the Chargers, Cardinals, and Raiders.
The Jets and Eagles have some interest in Syracuse defensive tackle Jay Bromley, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
The Broncos are more than open to moving up tomorrow night, tweets Rapoport.

NFC North Notes: Vikings, Lions, Watkins, Barr

May 7th, 2014 at 7:02pm CST by Zachary Links

Whatever Vikings GM Rick Spielman‘s plan is, he has a lot of options heading into this weekend, writes Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. Through draft-day trades, the Vikings have managed to make 29 selections across the last three seasons. Tomasson looks at some of the Vikings needs this time around, including quarterback and linebacker. More from the NFC North..

While there’s talk that the Lions could trade up for standout wide receiver Sammy Watkins, Jeff Seidel of the Detroit Free Press says Detroit needs to stick to defense. The temptation to pair Watkins with Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate is understandably strong, but Seidel says the Lions should go with a cornerback at No. 10, even though it’s not the best value. He argues, however, that if they can get a starting CB, no one will be concerned five years down the line if he was taken five picks too soon.
While the Lions didn’t give UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr any indication of how they’d use him when the two sides met, he told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press it would be “very enticing” to play in the same defense with Ndamukong Suh and Ziggy Ansah. “They’d probably give me a lot of one-on-one matchups,” Barr said. “You got to win those, so I think we would complement one another very well.”
The staff at CSNChicago.com looks at offensive tackle Jake Matthews and his potential fit with the Bears. The Bears appear to be set at the O-Line but if Matthews falls to No. 14, he might have to give it some thought.

NFC East Rumors: Redskins, Cowboys, Sherman

May 7th, 2014 at 4:53pm CST by Zachary Links

Redskins GM Bruce Allen has said that quarterback Kirk Cousins won’t be going anywhere, but that could change sometime during the draft, writes Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com. If the Browns get past their second-round pick and still don’t have a quarterback, they could very well dial up the Redskins to inquire on Cousins. The Redskins are hoping that multiple teams find themselves in a similar spot and spark up a bidding war for Robert Griffin III‘s understudy. More out of the NFC East..

Wide receiver doesn’t figure to be an area of focus for the Cowboys in this week’s draft. Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets that the team only hosted two wideouts for pre-draft visits: Colorado’s Paul Richardson and Oregon’s Josh Huff.
In the wake of Richard Sherman‘s brand new deal with the Seahawks, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News can’t help but wonder how he would have looked in blue and white. Sherman was the 154th player taken in the 2011 draft, eleven picks after Dallas drafted fellow cornerback Josh Thomas. While Sherman is one of the best at his position, Thomas never saw a down for the Cowboys.
Johnny Manziel likes the Cowboys, but he hopes to be gone before they pick at No. 16, writes Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram.
The Redskins‘ special teams play was a disaster last season so it’s no surprise to hear that it’s a big priority this offseason, writes Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com. Many of the 14 free agents Washington signed will be counted upon to bolster special teams, including linebackers Akeem Jordan and Adam Hayward. That commitment to special teams figures to carry into the late rounds of this weekend’s draft.

Pauline On Manziel, Bucs, Bortles, Raiders

May 7th, 2014 at 3:17pm CST by Zachary Links

NFL executives widely believe that if Johnny Manziel is selected in the first eight picks tomorrow, it will be by decree of the owner rather than the scouting department or GM, writes Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net. One source told Pauline that it feels like a lot of GMs are hoping Manziel is off the board before it’s their turn to pick so that there’s no discussion or distraction of selecting the signal caller. This is especially the case in Tampa Bay where Buccaneers owners are pushing for Manziel but coach Lovie Smith is after defensive tackle Aaron Donald. Here’s more from Pauline’s column..

Consistent with what we’ve already heard, the Browns like Manziel but not enough to use the No. 4 pick on him. The name that Pauline hears often connected to Cleveland is receiver Mike Evans and Blake Bortles is a dark horse possibility.
If Bortles slides past the Vikings at No. 8, look for the Cardinals to try and move up for him.
The Raiders are shopping their first round pick and while there’s been interest, no team has matched their asking price. Right now Oakland would like Khalil Mack, Mike Evans, or Sammy Watkins at No. 5. If they are able to trade down the pick is likely to be quarterback Derek Carr.
The Panthers have been known to like Joel Bitonio at No. 28 and Pauline hears the Chargers will also consider him at No. 25.
There’s a feeling the Panthers could attempt to trade up for a receiver or offensive tackle and the Dolphins are the obvious trade partner. Miami, Pauline hears, will entertain offers for the 19th pick if Zack Martin is unavailable. By doing that, the Panthers would assure themselves receiver Brandin Cooks or Marqise Lee, whichever is available. If that’s the case, Bitonio could then land with the Seahawks as the first round closes out.
The 49ers have let it be known they plan to be aggressive on draft day and use their arsenal of top 100 picks to move up. Right now, sources say SF has their eye on receiver Odell Beckham. The price to move up for Evans is a little steep and Beckham fills a need for them. Another plus to Beckham is that they’d provide a safeguard if Michael Crabtree‘s price tag in free agency next year is too high.

Dolphins Exploring First-Round Trades

May 7th, 2014 at 1:49pm CST by Luke Adams

As draft night nears, the Dolphins are very much open for business, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, who reports that the team has fielded and initiated multiple calls to other clubs, exploring potential trades up or down in the first round.

Salguero notes that the team’s apparent willingness to trade up from No. 19 is somewhat surprising, and he doesn’t have any specific details on possible moves up for Miami. In my view, it may be worth sliding up a few spots if an offensive tackle like Zack Martin or Taylor Lewan slips into the mid-teens. However, a trade down looks like the more likely scenario, particularly since the Dolphins only hold seven picks in this year’s draft, which doesn’t give them a whole lot of ammo to move up.

According to Salguero, the Dolphins have had “preliminary discussions” with the Eagles (No. 22), Browns (No. 26), and Saints (No. 27). The club has also spoken to the Niners, who hold the 30th pick, but may not want to drop behind the Panthers (No. 28), since Carolina also figures to be targeting an offensive tackle with its first pick.

As for specific targets, Salguero identifies Tennessee offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James and Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier as a couple players the Dolphins “love,” and adds that prospects like LSU wideout Odell Beckham Jr., USC receiver Marqise Lee, Virginia Tech cornerback Kyle Fuller, and Virginia offensive tackle Morgan Moses are also on Miami’s radar.

Bills Still Trying To Trade Up

May 7th, 2014 at 12:44pm CST by Luke Adams

ESPN.com’s Todd McShay cited multiple sources last week in reporting that the Bills were trying to trade up from the No. 9 spot, and it appears the team hasn’t given up on that possibility. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Bills have been “burning up the phone lines” in an effort to move up to grab the first or second overall pick.

The Texans (No. 1) and Rams (No. 2) are both reportedly open to the possibility of moving down, so the Bills may try to create a bidding war of sorts, where they’ll pursue a deal with whichever team is asking for less compensation. That strategy could be particularly effective if Buffalo has a couple potential targets in mind, rather than just one.

A trade down to ninth from first or second is significant enough that Buffalo would likely have to include their 2014 second-round pick and a 2015 first-rounder. That’s just my speculation though, and perhaps the asking price could drop as tomorrow evening nears. Houston’s and St. Louis’ best chance at maximizing the value of their picks in a trade would be to draw in other potential partners, like perhaps the Lions or Falcons.

When McShay first reported the Bills’ interest in moving up, he identified Jadeveon Clowney, Greg Robinson, and Sammy Watkins as probable targets for the club, and Florio also names Clowney and Robinson as likely options.

Although defensive line isn’t a notable area of need for Buffalo, adding Clowney would make a strong pass rush even more formidable. Clowney and Khalil Mack, the consensus top two pass rushers in the draft, are expected to be long gone by the time the No. 9 pick rolls around. As for Robinson, he’s generally viewed as the top offensive tackle in the draft, just ahead of Jake Matthews, but other solid options, including Zack Martin and Taylor Lewan could still be in play at No. 9.

For what it’s worth, in a mock draft conducted this week by ESPN.com’s beat writers, Bills reporter Mike Rodak traded up to No. 1 in order to snag Clowney.

Draft Updates: Lions, Texans, Watkins

May 7th, 2014 at 12:02pm CST by Luke Adams

While the ability to contribute on special teams may not be the deciding factor when the Lions decide which players to draft this week, it certainly doesn’t hurt, as GM Martin Mayhew tells Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

“It factors in,” Mayhew said. “It factors in more when you don’t have a competent returner, which we do. But it’s certainly something you take into consideration. If somebody can be a backup punt returner, he has more versatility.”

The Lions GM went on to point out that special teams contributions are something the club considers more and more as the draft goes on. In the sixth or seventh round, or even when pursuing undrafted free agents, having the input of area scouts on which players they think could become strong special-teamers is a key factor, according to Mayhew.

2014 NFL Draft News & Rumors